Postcards from Alberta
Words by Dalene Heck / Photography by Pete Heck
Is it vain to say that we’re proud of our home province for all it’s natural beauty?
It’s not like we had any part in creating it. We didn’t hand chisel the lyrical mountain ridges, or carve out the basins that glow with reflections of aquamarine. We’ve never scattered wheat seeds, or manicured fields at harvest. None of this is the result of our hard work.
(Up until this trip home, we shamefully never appreciated it enough either.)
So, no, maybe ‘proud’ isn’t the right word. So we’ll just use glad. Delighted. Elated. Happy. Thrilled. Ecstatic, even.
And this time, we know it.
This is our home, we are thrilled to share it with you…
And the exciting part, for us, is that there are still some places in the province yet to be discovered.
Until next time…
Your home is beautiful!! The captures are incredible!! Wish to see more of your part of the town 🙂
Thank you Arti, I am so happy that I had the chance to get out and photograph it.
And it is much more better than somewhere in Cambodia or Zambia 🙂 And very nice photos by the way!
Stunning postcards guys, as always. Can you send me one :)? Cameron lake is my favourite one
We will certainly try 🙂 We have always had the thought of making prints of these series to send to some of our fans.
That’s so cool. Keep me posted and send me one 😉
Alberta looks just amazing. I wish I had Pete’s photographic skills so I could capture my home so beautifully.
Mind you, I’m not really sure where home is anymore. If you guys are headed anywhere in Australia, I will claim it as home and meet you there for pics. Do we have a deal?
Oh. Same offer if you’re headed to Vietnam, Thailand or Singapore. Or even Vanuatu (I was in Vanuatu for all of four days in 1993.)
Deal. Lately we have been talking about heading over to that part of the world very soon.
I like the wheat picture…the 2nd one.
Nah, I’m proud of where we live in the Pacific NW. There’s so much here and I love that we live here (for now).
Thanks Carmel. Don’t get us wrong, we’re proud to be Canadian and thankful we had to chance to photograph these amazing places when we were back.
Thanks for the visit home! I’ve been away almost two months… I miss the beauty in the prairies and mountains 🙂
amazing shots guys, coming to visit next time your home
Deal! You know that you are always welcome to stay with us at our family’s place. They have lots of extra rooms!
GORGEOUS!!!!!! I can see why this is one of the most personal of the series that you’ve done. And I think, perhaps for that reason, it is one of your best.
Thanks Kirsten, I think it definitely played a role in how the photos turned out. Funny when it gets personal how much more effort you pour into it.
Well done! You make fellow Canucks proud. 😉
Of course, my fav is Cameron Lake… for obvious reason…
I had a feeling you’d like that one the most 😉 Thanks guys!
I am so obsessed with your photos!
So good to hear, thanks Andi 🙂
Stunning photos. We hope to be able to explore more of Alberta!
Well done guys! We loved Alberta. Made a trip up there in the spring. Here is a video we created from our trip:
http://vimeo.com/47857147
Wow, great vid guys! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Stunnnnning! This might be my favorite postcard series yet, partly because I know how much Alberta means to you.
Those first 2 images… wow. Making me want to go to Alberta like, yesterday!
Thanks so much Amanda, there’s a bit of a back-story behind those first 2 photos. I’ll share with you next time we sit down for beers and pizza 🙂
LOVE this. I think my favorite is the maple leaf barn 🙂
Thanks Marie. And I too made the mistake of calling it a “barn” on Facebook. I was quickly corrected by a few people that it is a grainery. I still don’t know what the difference is 🙂
What a nice selection of photos. I discovered Waterton over Labour Day weekend and fell in love with the hiking there.
This was Dalene’s and I first venture out to Waterton as well. I wish we would have had a few more days there to take in some hikes. Thanks Leigh!
My favourite ones are the ones where I’m ‘from’ – Lethbridge, the ones up North…weird, huh?
I need to get back out west… a road trip is much overdo – but I think it might have to hold off until next year… I’m not brave enough to road trip this country past about September lol
I don’t blame you, the weather is most unpredictable. You are even taking a chance in September on the roads… But no matter if there is snow or sun, I love the scenery here.
Beautiful shots guys! Looks like a gorgeous place…you should be proud to call it home.
Wow, gorgeous post cards guys! Love the first one!
Wow, I have to get myself to Alberta. Beautiful photos guys!
What the others said… Just stunning photos. I think these are the most beautiful pictures I’ve seen from Canada!
So nice to hear, thanks Sebastian 🙂
*SWOON*
Love these! The colors are so awesome!
Love your stuff and enjoy following your travels. Hey are you related to Ron Heck?
Nope no relation to Ron. Most of my family is out East, but no more Heck’s other than my direct family in Edmonton. Thanks for following along Michelle, we love hearing comments like this!
thank-you for Sharing, but it would have been so nice to see a skyline of the cleanest city in Canada here also ……Calgary; maybe from out at Strathmore towards the three sisters. now thats a beautiful picture on a crystal clear Alberta morning…..
And someone else wanted Jasper and the boreal forests in the north. 🙂 Alberta has a lot of ground to cover!
You’ve made this Alberta girl proud. Love the first photo, something about old farmhouses makes me smile. That first one of Waterton is beautiful, and not at all how I pictured Waterton to look (just one of many places in Alberta I haven’t been to).
Get thee to Waterton Alouise! You won’t be disappointed. 🙂
This summer was all about falling in love with my home again as well. I can’t say Albany, New York can compete in terms of natural beauty, but I think every place deserves to have its residents fall madly in love with it!
You are so right Alex, but it is also the first place overlooked somehow.
WOW – Gorgeous Alberta! I’ve been to Waterton Lakes NP and was in awe. Would love to see more of your province. Totally OK to be proud of it.
Thanks Cathy. 🙂 Waterton is beautiful, but it’s not our favourite spot. Hopefully you make your way back to explore more!
You realize that you guys have some of the best photography out there right now. Nicely done!
Wow Raymond – that is a huge compliment! Thank you. 🙂
It’sTRUE! 🙂
Great pics!!
Gorgeous photos as always, guys! That light looks pretty special
I find your home incredibly beautiful too!! And as a northern Californian, I find my home becomes more and more beautiful, I notice more things that I never knew existed, and I seek to explore more of my own backyard every time I return from my travels. It’s become part of the whole experience for me.
That’s great! It definitely makes the ‘coming home’ part not so disappointing either, even if travels are ending, it’s nice to come home to somewhere so beautiful! 🙂
Alberta is so scenic. I remember driving from Calgary to Edmonton and remember the lush green grass. Amazing images of Alberta.
Oh Shula – that is one of the least attractive parts of the province! Hope you get to see more of it next time! 🙂
Great iconic prairie photos – what kind of lens did you use for these?
Most of them (maybe all?) are just using the kit lens with our DSLR.
incredible photos! so proud to call alberta home. we really have an amazing playground.
Do we ever! 🙂
Wow, every one of them looks like a postcard (and a better one at that then you could find in any store!). I’m in agreement with you on your love for Alberta.
Thanks Kristin!
Gorgeous! I haven’t seen much of Canada, but you sure do make it look appealing. I especially like the Cameron Lake photo, wow!
You guys do such a wonderful job of showing that you don’t need to travel in order to appreciate your surroundings! I love the pictures!
Thank you so much! I’m convinced there is beauty in everyone’s backyard, they might just have to look for it. 🙂
Great photos. We have a business close in 2012 and we thought our dreams of travel were gone, but then we come across house sitting. In 2013, we have travelled around Australia and all we need is Internet access for our jobs. In 2015, we intend to house sit in Europe.
Simply stunning photos!